Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-01

the unconscious confederates Of the 20.
male blackmailer. These adypntures,es
pretend to be the widows OF soldiers
seeking pension, or they are gather
ing subscriptions for some we'll
known charity, or they are cell
ing books or works OF art or
stationery in fact, almost any pretence
il used for the purpose of seeing the
banker, merchant, or lawyer alone. II
may seem surprising that n lawyer
could be entrapped, but it has been
done. The case OF Alexander Hamil-
ton is historical. He wasentrapped by
voluptuous woman and acceded TO
some of her demands for money, but
when she and her pretended husband
went too far he confessed the whole
matter ia public letter. at the same
tine Indignantly denying that he had
ever uecd his place as Secretary Of the
Treasury, which he then held, to fur
TIER the interests Of the sehemers.
ha. letter twitched the fangs from
The sorpent'smoulh. Ayoung lawyer on
Nsssau street, ! heard the other day,
was yictimized by woman who sold
cnPravings. 70 had large practice
IN civil cases, but knew nothing OF the
criminal classes. The adventures in
this case was handsome woman of
Thirty, well dressed, and modest in de-
meanor. He subscribed for the en-
cravings, and she delivered them
weekly. At the third call the clerks
heard dispute between the woman
and tic lawyer in his private Office.
The woman's voice was angry and
threatening the lawyer in lower
one was pleading and expOstu
lating. She left in few minutes appa-
rtntly in a state OF great excitement
TIE lawyer 1t was noticed, became
uervcus and preoccupied. The woman
called every week for four months.
Jhcn the young lawyer consulted an
other in the criminal practice, and re-
vealcd the fact that at the third call,
which the woman made for the pur-
pose Of leaving the engravings, she had
asked him for 500 as n gift. If he re-
fused, she would go to his wife, to
whom he had been married only about
two years, and tell her that she
had been in the habit of calling
on him, and that he had conducted
himself in an improper manner. He
had at first refused TO give her
the money, and had defed her
10 DO her utmost She left her
address. however, and said that ii she
did not receive the money by noon the
lext day she would carry her threat
into execution. He was III a quandary.
Before u O'Clock the next day, how
ever. he had decided that it would be
better to pay the money, and he did so.
A week later she called and demanded
so q week as the price OF her silence.
lie weekly paid il for about four
months and then called in the assist
ancc of a criminal lawyer, who at once
sent detective to the Office to
await the arrival of the woman
WHO was to come that day. When
the woman entered the detectives head
was bent over a desk in the outer
Office, apparently engaged in clerical
wCYs. He recognized her at once as al
a0yt hturess well known to the police.
re allowed her TO enter the lawyers
private Office. get herweekly blackmail,
and cave without a scene. When she
delrtd into the elevator he followed.
She recognized him with q blank look
of a,tonishment. He did not address
her until they reached the street and
tie other passengers in the elevator
were out of hearing. Then he said to
her:
"Ncll. Mollie. see you are Mt your
old tricks again. amt you ?"
She did not reply. Then he added
81 will trouble you t. give me that $2j
you have IN your pocket" The woman
gave it up at once. Now said the
detective, Z" L am going home with you,
Nollie. Where do you live ?"
They took the elevated road and went
to bandsomely-furnished flat up town.
The door was opened by an old woman,
apparently the Younger wOmans mo-
Their, and she also had a servant. The
surroundings were attractive every
thing had the appearance OF refined
and respectable home. The detective
said 10 the handsome adventures {:
"Now / am going to search the house
for the money you have taken from that
man down town"
"Oh don't do that" she answered.
- will give you all that have" And
Sic soon brought him about ninety dol
lars. Then the detective left. He
knew that he could get no more, and
that if he arrested her there would ne
cessarily he unwclcome publicity for
her victim. The lawyer was never
troubled thereafter. The same wo-
man is still at work on other
victims. Those who have been
blackmaied do not publicly complain,
and thus women of that class prey
On society almost with impunity. a
clergyman up town paid blackmail for
alon% time before he invoked the aid OF
his friends. 4 merchant paid black
mail once when a woman thrust herself
into his private Office and threatened to
scream il he did not. He never paid
again, for he gave strict orders not to
admit the woman. Many merchants
and bankers refuse to see woman until
she has stated her business III full to q
clerk. This rule protects many mil
liCn2ires from thetwiles of these sharks.